Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy is throwing his support behind Riverton Mayor Trent Staggs’s Senate bid just days before Utah’s primary election on Tuesday. In a video, Ramaswamy praised Staggs for his experience as a local lawmaker, arguing that Congress needs “leaders like Mayor Staggs in Washington, D.C.” He emphasized the importance of politicians serving the public and not themselves, stating that Staggs is one of the few who understand this principle.
Ramaswamy endorsed Staggs to replace incumbent Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT), who announced his retirement last year citing his age. This sparked immediate announcements from several candidates, including Staggs and former Utah House Speaker Brad Wilson, who have since received high-profile endorsements and fundraising boosts.
Staggs was the first to declare his candidacy, garnering support from local leaders and national Republicans like Mark Levin, Harmeet Dhillon, and Charlie Kirk. However, Rep. John Curtis (R-UT) quickly gained momentum after announcing his candidacy, leveraging his widespread name recognition after representing Utah’s 3rd Congressional District in the House.
According to the latest polling, Curtis leads the field with 47% support, followed by Wilson at 24% and Staggs at 21%, according to a survey conducted by the Deseret News and the University of Utah Hinckley Institute of Politics. A victory in the primary is crucial, as the winner is likely to win the seat in November due to Utah’s reliably red state status, with the last Democrat elected to the Senate representing the state being in 1970.
